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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27924316">Serenity</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/CosmicCthulhu/pseuds/CosmicCthulhu'>CosmicCthulhu</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/M, Fluff and Angst, Friendship, Harry Potter Epilogue What Epilogue | EWE, Late Night Conversations, Past Hermione Granger/Ron Weasley, Post-Hogwarts, Redeemed Draco Malfoy</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-06</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-06</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 20:34:10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,335</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27924316</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/CosmicCthulhu/pseuds/CosmicCthulhu</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>A chance meeting at 3 in the morning brought Hermione and Draco together.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Hermione Granger &amp; Draco Malfoy, Hermione Granger/Draco Malfoy</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>63</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Serenity</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>English is not my first language, and this work is unbeta'd so all errors are my own.</p>
<p>Disclaimer: I do not own any part of the Harry Potter franchise.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>
    <span>This is fine.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>I am ok.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Everything will be fine.</span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Hermione breathed deeply in through her nose, and out through her mouth, as she attempted to calm herself. And she was calm! Really, everything was ok. All she had to do was ignore the fact that her stupid boyfriend was desperately stucking his tongue down a random barmaid’s throat in the nightclub’s bathroom.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A mere barmaid was now marking Ron’s neck full of possessive hickeys! Hermione sighed in disbelief. Not that being a barmaid was something to be ashamed about. Every job had its merits and all that rot. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>But Hermione was a war hero. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>And she had fought alongside the man that was now betraying her. She had cared for him deeply, for many years in fact, even before they were even dating. And dammit, she thought he had cared for her as well, but perhaps she was mistaken, or maybe it was her fault for not agreeing to marry him sooner. She felt a sting and her eyes, and willed herself to stop the tears.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She absolutely was not going to cry. Not tonight, at least. And she was certainly not going to cry in the back alley of a suspicious part of wizarding London at nearly three in the morning. She paced quietly into a dusty bench that was just outside Naxos, the lousy nightclub in which she had just been discarded in favor of a blonde, nameless barmaid, and closed her eyes for a second.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Her head was killing her. She had had quite a bit to drink before and a bit more after watching her (now ex, she supposed) boyfriend’s escapade. Her feet were sore as well, as she had reluctantly worn the uncomfortable high heels to go out with Ron to this blasted nightclub. And now she was alone, hurt and miserable and dammit she said she wasn’t going to let herself cry!</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She was starting to decide if it was worth the risk of splinching herself to go back home and pass out on the bed or sofa when she heard a familiar voice call out her name in concern.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Granger?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She wearily opened her eyes, and saw the blond hair and pale skin of a tall wizard standing before her. She had to stop for a second to jostle the memories of her muddled brain, but finally recognized the man looking at her as her work colleague.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What do you want Malfoy?” She huffed, and tried to get up, but decided against it when she felt a bout of sickness in the pit of her stomach.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I want to know why you’re passed out outside a bar!” He asked with a hint of distress in his voice. “This isn’t exactly the safest place for you to sleep on.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I wasn’t passed out. I was just resting my eyes.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Where’s the weasel? Shouldn’t he be bringing you back home?” He asked, as he helped her up, frowning in disgust when he saw how dirty was the bench she had laid on. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She visibly cringed when he mentioned the ginger wizard. “We… I guess we broke up.” Hermione sighed, and shifted her weight around, as she tested how much weight her aching feet could handle. “And I’m pretty sure he took another witch back to our apartment, so I don’t think I really want to go there right now…”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Merlin, Granger.” Malfoy breathed out. He watched as the witch shivered, probably due to the cold October air, paired with her beautiful, but feeble black dress. He shrugged off his coat and wrapped it around the witch. “I don’t even know what to say, other than: The weasel is more of an idiot than what I thought.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She managed a weak chuckle, and snuggled deeper into the soft coat he had offered her. She didn’t know why he was there, wasting his time comforting a simple coworker, but she was thankful for it.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Is there any place you can spend the night right now?” He asked softly, and somehow, that was the question that made the brunette break the dam of her tears. Malfoy watched in quiet distress the witch before him breaking down.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She sobbed quietly and vigorously wiped her tears away from her cheeks, smudging the little makeup she had applied, but more tears resurfaced, and she gave up fighting against them. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Sorry” she said, in between broken sobs. “Is just that I don’t really know where to go! I can’t go to the Burrow, considering that everyone there is related to Ron, and there’s really nowhere else.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Hermione approached the wizard and he carefully wrapped his arms around her, while whispering that everything was going to be fine. He tried to think of another solution, even though he knew they weren’t technically friends, Malfoy desperately wanted to help her usually passionate and cheerful colleague get better. “What about your parent’s house?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>That was definitely the wrong thing to say, because now she was whimpering even louder. Draco tried to soothe her with his words, but was starting to get worried about her, especially considering she was more than just tipsy in a very sketchy part of the town. She was apologising to him again, and then proceeded to tell him not to worry about her. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’ll just make do in a hotel somewhere, as long as it’s cheap enough.” She muttered, scouring her tiny purse, trying to determine how much money she had.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Come home with me, Granger.” Malfoy blurted out, and he saw the petite witch look up curiously. “To spend the night, I mean. In the spare bedroom, of course.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She still looked unsure. Hermione bit her lower lip thoughtfully. “I don’t know if I’d be comfortable going to the Manor again.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I don’t live there anymore.” Malfoy sombered. Sighing when gruesome memories of the past war resurfaced. “It’s uncomfortable for me too.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Hermione’s eyebrows arched in surprise. “Oh. So, where do you live, now?.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Malfoy managed a low chuckle, enthralled by the witch’s curiosity.He looked around, painfully noticing they were still standing in the middle of a back street of a crude establishment. “It’s not that far from here, actually, but it would be better to apparate, considering you’re barely standing up straight.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Hermione blushed, trying to straighten herself up, but quickly regretting when she felt the sharp pain in her feet. With a resolute look on her face, she extended her arm for him to take and side along her back to his apartment. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Malfoy grabbed her arm gently and bid her closer to him. Hermione would forever blame the alcohol and her jumbled mind for feeling her heartbeat quicken. In less than a minute, they were both inside a comfortable (and more importantly, warm!) apartment. The brunette witch instantly felt better. She finally felt like she could breathe properly.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>As she looked around the flat, she could see it was very large and modern, but still had a flair of personality. Surprisingly, she could see Malfoy had a television, standing in front of a black velvet sofa. Her eyes naturally drifted to the sizable bookshelf, filled with wizarding and muggle books, both academic and fiction. In between the books, there were pictures of him and his friends and a rather large picture of his mother, with a white rose beside it. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You don’t mind me crashing here for the night, right?” Hermione suddenly felt self-conscious. “I wouldn’t want to impose...” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I invited you here, Granger.” Malfoy huffed. “Of course I don’t mind you staying the night.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Thank you, Draco.” She breathed, and Malfoy smiled when he heard his name coming from her. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Don’t mention it. You can always repay me by filling that report on the Centaur’s prophecies for this month ” He quipped.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She laughed in response, but it was a weak and tired snort. She was feeling even more tired, now that the unpleasant events of the night had already settled in the back of her mind. She tried to stifle a yawn, but was unsuccessful, and she knew the wizard could notice her fatigue. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You’re free to take a shower if you’d like.” He said, pointing her to the direction of the bathroom. “I’ll go transfigure something for you to wear. Would you like something to eat or drink?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh!” She blurted, and willed herself not to blush. “Just water, please?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>-----</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Hermione felt much better now that she showered and changed into warmer clothes, but she knew, even before she laid down in the comfortable bed, that she wouldn’t be sleeping at all. She quietly opened the bedroom’s door and felt relieved when she noticed the kitchen’s lights were turned on, meaning that Draco was still awake.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She approached the kitchen, noticing the wizard, dressed only in sweatpants making tea. He looked up when he heard her soft footsteps. “Hey there.” she muttered, and accepted a cup of tea when he offered.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Couldn’t sleep?” He asked, and Hermione nodded, while sipping at the tea.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Want to talk about it?’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I just…” She started, but was unsure how to summarize everything she was feeling. “It feels so surreal.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The blonde wizard’s silence was enough to coax her into continuing,</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Ron and I… We’ve been dating for three years already!” She said, her voice rising with indignity. “And we’ve been friends for so much longer than that! We had each other's back for so long! And we were happy, or at least I thought we were!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She was shaking, feeling the tears resurface. She was about to wipe them away with her hand, but Draco gently provided a napkin for her. “I mean, is it too much to ask to just break up with me /before/ he started cajoling around with other women? Surely I deserved this minimal decency?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’ve always told you that he was an idiot.” Draco murmured, still interested in hearing what else the witch had to say.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“He’s an asshole, actually.” She bit, with annoyance. “I don’t even think that was the first time he cheated on me, actually. We were always arguing, especially when Molly started pushing us to get engaged. Everytime we had a fight, he would run off into some bar and get wasted, only coming back in the morning. I guess I’m the idiot for not noticing it sooner.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Draco gritted his teeth in anger, looking at the brown-eyes witch holding back her tears. How could she think that about herself? He approached her and nudged her shoulder, and she leaned into his touch.It was an unbelievable sight, to witness such a headstrong and lively witch breaking down because of a dumb wizard that would never deserve her. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Merlin, Draco couldn’t even imagine what may have tempted the man to seek other witches. Hermione was just so incredibly gorgeous, effortlessly so! Not to mention noticeably smart (she wasn't the Brightest Witch of her Age for nothing), courageous, funny, witty and so very passionate about the things she cared about!</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Hell, she was even the most forgiving and graceful person Draco had ever known, considering that they were amicable for the most part. The man silently wished that her forgiving heart wouldn’t be present if the ginger menace ever tried to get back into their relationship. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The slow afternoons in the quiet Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures were always his favorites. The ones that rarely occurred, but that allowed the blonde wizard to joke and banter with the brunette sitting beside him. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You’re not an idiot, Hermione.” He said, with the most gentle tone he could muster. “And you don’t need me to tell you this, either. But right now you’re hurt, and very tired, considering you’re barely managing to keep your eyes open.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>She blushed, but smiled all the same. Settling both their empty cups on the sink, they said their goodnight’s and settled back to their respective bedrooms, both wishing they could share a bed for the night, but painfully aware that it wasn’t the right moment to do that.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>-----</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>When the sun finally raised in the sky, Draco woke to the pleasant smell of coffee, toast and eggs being prepared. Moving towards the kitchen, he saw the petite witch making breakfast, in a noticeably better mood than in the previous night.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I hope you don’t mind that I’m using your kitchen.” Hermione said, as a way of greeting. “I just wanted to thank you again. For everything.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I don’t mind at all.” He responded, and enjoyed his first sip of coffee that morning. “And really, don’t worry about it. I’m glad I could help.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Hermione had opened her mouth, but whatever the muggleborn was about to say was interrupted by the sound of tapping on the window. They looked over, to the origin of the sounds, and noticed Pigwidgeon</span>
  <span>, Ron’s owl waiting impatiently with a note attached. They allowed the bird to enter, and cringed when it started scarfing down some of the leftovers on the plates.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It’s from Ron.” The witch murmured, reading the hastefully scrawled note. A very poorly drafted letter (which he probably wrote while he was drunk, Hermione suspected) that begged for forgiveness and promised that he’d be better in the future. Draco eyed the letter curiously, after Hermione allowed him to read it, and cringed at the awful choice of words. ‘Think about how broken-hearted mum will be!’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Asshole” The brunette groaned, as she decided what her next step should be. Pig, having finished the remainder of their breakfast, was clearly waiting for a response. She had a cheeky smirk on her face when the blonde handed her a quill and she proceeded to make a crude drawing of a character flipping off and cursing him. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Not her most elaborate of responses, but it was more than what Ron deserved anyway.They both laughed at her stupid reply, and continued to enjoy their Sunday morning together. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>In the end, Hermione was right all along: She was going to be fine anyway.</span>
</p>
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